Nordic pre-approved Bluetooth low-energy module allows prototype development within hours

Nordic Semiconductor has announces that U.K. ODM, Laird Technologies, has developed a fully-approved programmable Bluetooth low-energy module. The module enables developers to use BASIC language syntax to create Bluetooth low-energy prototypes based on the class-leading Nordic nRF51822 SoC in less than a day. "Laird Technologies has been developing Bluetooth wireless technology modules for over 10 years, and our first Bluetooth low energy module draws on our vast experience," says Jonathan Kaye, Laird Technologies Embedded Wireless Solutions Product Manager. "The BL600-series module reduces a customer's development time by an average of six months and eliminates the need to become proficient in Bluetooth low-energy wireless technology or obtain the necessary wireless certifications and approvals." The BL600-series surface-mount module is about the size of an adult thumbnail (19 x 12.5 x 3 mm) and has a cubic volume that is less than that of a regular CR2032 coin cell battery. Requiring 2.1 to 3.6 V, it is a standalone hostless programmable device that attaches to sensors via UART, SPI, I²C, or GPIO, with a small amount of code written in Laird's event-driven smartBASIC programming language. Data collected from a sensor can be sent to any device that is compatible with the latest Bluetooth v4.0 specification including smartphones, tablet computers, and LAN or WAN gateways. The BL600 series module features an integrated antenna or option for external antenna, and is said to provide a generous 95-dB link budget for maximum operating range. The module supports a variety of Bluetooth low energy profiles including heart-rate, thermometer, and proximity profiles, plus custom profiles created using free development tools and Laird's smartBASIC programming language. Laird's smartBASIC is an object-based language that can cover all Bluetooth low energy functions for seamless bridging of sensors to Bluetooth low energy characteristic value attributes. After initializing the environment, a typical smartBASIC application waits for events that are serviced by user-written handlers. While the application waits for events, the module is in very low power mode consuming less than 10 μA from the coin cell battery. "This series of modules from Laird Technologies means customers don't need to be experts in Bluetooth low energy to start designing Bluetooth low energy products or capabilities," Geir Langeland, Nordic Semiconductor's Director of Sales & Marketing commented. "And because the BL600 series is based on the Nordic nRF51822 SoC, customer designs will benefit from class-leading levels of RF performance and ultra low power consumption." Nordic Semiconductor Laird Technologies